Finland tackles “the most dangerous wreck in the Baltic Sea”

 

Henrik Samuelsson/TT

Published 21:37

          

        The battleship Ilmarinen in August 1941. Photo: Vilho Heinämies/SA photo via Finnish            Environment Institute

Finnish divers are now starting work on draining the sunken battleship Ilmarinen of oil. The wreck has been lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea since World War II, but was only found in the 1990s.

The Ilmarinen was the largest ship in the history of the Finnish Navy. However, it hit a mine and sank in 1941.

271 of those on board died, while 132 survived. It took around 50 years for the ship to be located, and according to the STT news agency, it has been called one of the most dangerous wrecks in the Baltic Sea.

Only now are they ready to dispose of the 100,000 liters of fuel oil on board. "The task is demanding, as the wreck is located in a deep place, which is exposed to wind and sea currents," writes the Finnish Environment Institute, pointing out that there is also the gravesite to take into account.

The clean-up is expected to take several weeks.